Elizabeth "Dizzy Lizzy" C.'s Profile

I can't believe this is a Korean-owned business. As a Korean whose father once dabbled disastrously in drycleaning, I am very impressed with Hyperion Cleaners' level of professionalism, courteousness, and business savvy. I started using them because their cleaning methods were non-toxic, in fact the least toxic (consequently, the most expensive) of the green methods available (though I forget now what that specific method is). It's great to bring home clean clothes that don't smell like an 80s girls' high school bathroom full of Aqua Net fumes. I also dig that they alert you with big signage whenever they failed to remove any stains, stains that they didn't know that they couldn't possibly remove because the stains were old and baked in. Overall, I appreciate how easy it is to entrust them with my garments that won't let me get away with cheapskate shortcuts.

But, yes, I do wish that Hyperion were more affordable. Or at least give me the Korean discount that I'd have gotten in all other parts of the US but SoCal. Scratch that, I've gotten the Korean discount at other SoCal drycleaners. Perhaps a part of Hyperion's professionalism means refraining from nepotism and not taking care of their Korean sisters.

Trying to go green is making me green with envy at greener grass enjoyed by those who don't give a hoot about being green.

My new favorite cafe, especially when I want to be productive, i.e. when I cannot get online and do frivolous things such as yelping. Really, it's a lovely place. It has more charm than any place I've been in Silverlake thus far. I even had a very French dinner: a plate of greens dressed only in vinaigrette, a baguette, and prosciutto. Nothing else. Made me feel as if I were back in France. Ok, so prosciutto is Italian, but you get the idea of a sandwich that is decidedly not American, i.e. piled mile high.

More on this later since I'm to awake in about two hours to drive to work. Gasp!

Intelligentsia gets 5 stars for two reasons:

1. The best cup of cappuccino I've had, other than that at Philly's La Colombe and Berkeley's Trieste. A good cappuccino ought not need any extra sweetening. The barrista ought to have steamed the milk so that the milk's sugar alone is sweetner enough. The foam should be not frothy but a thick and rich caramel of espresso and cream. It should have body, gravity, and lightness all simultaneously to send you into momentary delirium. It should make a smile spread slowly across your face.

2. Its odd design of entry/exit doors that precipitated an encounter that heightened the experience of reason #1. While I was going back and forth befuddled as to which was the entrance, upon seeing my predicament, a patron who was not only most courteous but swoon-worthy opened the door for me. I haven't seen so fetching a specimen of the male sex in quite some time. And this particular one still had sleep in his face, his eyes puffy and ruddy. But, oh my, oh my, did I wish that face was the first thing I beheld each morning. Heart aflutter, flutter, flutter! Too bad his companion at 7 o'clock on a Saturday morning was another very handsome gent. D***! D***! D***! Sigh!

I am surprised by the majority of the reviews, specifically that they are positive reviews, for Nad Pob Thai. My experience was far more like Megan R.'s below.

At about 9pm on a weekend night, I placed a takeout order for chicken pad thai. I was surprised to be told that the order would be ready in 10 minutes.

No wonder. There was not a single customer in the restaurant. They did mention that there was a party due to arrive. I felt sorry for the restaurant staff, thinking that this purportedly fabulous little establishment that had gotten a Zagat award was lost in LA's abundance of Thai eateries.

Came home. With much eagerness, I went at the pad thai...

...only to find that it was a clump of flavorless noodles. Although the noodles' tangy orange color promised signature pad thai scrumptuousness, the noodles were... just noodles. And badly soaked noodles at that.

I've had some mediocre pad thai. Even some bad ones. Everyone who loves pad thai has come across at one time or another that greasy pad thai dripping with orange tinted oil, the pad thai with meat that makes even the ravenous hesitate despite a 3 am drunken stupor, etc. Though less than satisfying these were, however, they were overall still edible.

Nad Pob's inseparable lump of noodles with a side of crushed peanuts and sprouts was...

The word that comes to mind is "offensive." I was genuinely offended. I almost drove back to the restaurant to ask if they could in all honesty and decency charge me $9 for what they'd tried to pass off as a finished entree, nevermind a pad thai.

In the end, in order not to waste $9, I whipped up my own sauce and had a fusion Korean pad thai. Which defeated the entire point of ordering takeout so that I wouldn't have to cook.

I don't think I've ever given a 1 star. I'm still in disbelief. Based on the other reviews, perhaps there are times when the kitchen gets it right. However, do you really want to chance it?